New presidents named for Moorhead, Rochester colleges

Anne Blackhurst, the provost of Minnesota State University, Moorhead, will take over as president of the university in June, officials announced Wednesday.

Blackhurst, who has served in numerous leadership roles since 2000, will succeed Edna Szymanski, who is retiring after six years as president.

Her appointment was confirmed Wednesday by the board of trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

The board also named Leslie McClellon, a vice president at the Community College of Denver, as the new president of Rochester Community and Technical College. McClellon, who has been vice president of student affairs in Denver since 2010, will replace Rochester’s interim president, Gail O’Kane. O’Kane was named to the interim position last summer when Don Supalla retired.